Needle threader



June 30, 1970 WEBER 3,517,631

NEEDLE THREADER Filed D90. 15, 1967 Fig.l.

- "INVENTOR. Max E. Weber Witness Q BY 4pwllml "I241 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,517,631 NEEDLE THREADER Max E. Weber, Karlsruhe Baden, Germany, assignor to The Singer Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 15, 1967, Ser. No. 690,885 Int. Cl. D05b 87/00 US. Cl. 112-225 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A needle threading device for a sewing machine including an arm mounted for sidewise as well as vertical swinging movement and limited vertical shift on the sewing machine head and having, a needle thread engaging member disposed at the free end of the device adapted to enter the eye of the needle when the device is placed in its operative threading position. The alignment of the needle thread engaging member with the needle eye is assured by means of a pair of spaced offset fingers formed at the free end of the needle threading device for straddlingthe needle and guiding the member through the needle eye.

RELATED APPLICATION The present invention comprises an improvement over .the needle threading device disclosed and claimed in a copending US. application Ser'. No. 651,616, filed July 6, .1967in the name of James P. Smith and assigned to the assignee of the present application. It will be ap parent from the description and claims which follow hereafter that thepresent invention differs from the invention disclosed in the above mentioned copending application primarily in themeans for guiding the needle thread :engaging member through the eye of the needle.

. BACKGROUND'OF THE INVENTION :Field' of the invention This invention pertains to a device having a relatively uncomplicated construction for threading the eye of a needle in-a highly accurate and efficient manner.

A Description of the prior art It is well known in the art to provide a mechanism for threading a needle. Such prior art devices either may 'be' manually held by the operator for threading or ing devices mountedon the sewing machine, these generally comprise a relativelycomplex structure and frequently have been mounted in such a manner as to interfere with the normalsewing operation. Also, these latter devices have not been sufiiciently accurate in threadceptance in 'thesewing machine industry. Ofttimes the operator still has to have a substantial amount of manual dexterity in order accurately to align the thread engaging member with the needle eye and pass it therethrough.

ltalsois a characteristic of the prior art devices to provide a relatively thin or resilient means for guiding the thread engaging member through the needle eye. This type of construction is subject to bending or other damage,

thus' rendering the device unusable for its intended purpose.

ing the needle or .reliable enough to have earned ac- 3 ,5 17,631 Patented June 30, 1 970 'ice SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the art of sewing, and more particularly to a novel and improved needle threading device adapted for attachment to a sewing machine in such a manner that when it is desired to thread the needle eye the device readily may be brought into an operative threading position which will accurately align the thread engaging member with the needle eye and guide it therethrough.

The needle threading device of the present invention overcomes the above discussed prior art deficiencies and more by providing a sheet metal swinging arm with an oifset finger grip and formed at one end with a mounting slot. The mounting slot accommodates fastening means mounted to the machine head to permit sidewise as well as vertical swinging movement and limited vertical shift of the arm relative to the head. The arm is provided between its extremities with an elliptical shaped opening or a slot for register with a locating screw attached to the standard needle clamp of the needle bar. The needle engaging end of the swinging arm is provided with an integral needle straddling means comprising a pair of vertically spaced needle embracing fingers, offset relative to each other, having a needle thread engaging hook disposed therebetween. The hook is oriented when the device is brought into its operative or needle threading position so as to be rearwardly aligned with the needle eye. This arrangement of the needle thread engaging member allows the operator to thread the needle eye from front to back. The construction of the needle embracing fingers or guide means is such that damage thereto during handling of the device substantially is practically eliminated. The distance between the slot and the hook is substantially the same as the distance 'between the locating screw and the needle eye when the needle is in its uppermost position, the slot alfording minor vertical movement of the needle threading device to reduce the accuracy needed in positioning the needle in its upper position for alignment of the needle eye with the needle threading hook. To eliminate the possibility of interference by the needle threading device during the normal sewing operation, the device is adapted to be swung into the head of the machine and stored therein until needed for threading the needle. Thus, a very simple but novel construction is provided for threading a needle which eliminates the prior art deficiencies and readily is adapted to any sewing machine, thereby making the device highly attractive from a product viewpoint.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide in a sewing machine, a novel and improved needle threading device that is of simple construction, easy to manipulate and assures accuracy in aligning the threading member with the needle eye.

Another object of this invention is to provide an im proved needle threading device construction.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a needle threading device which is easily adapted to different machines and easily can be used by persons lacking in manual dexterity.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a needle threading device which is dependable and of a relatively high degree of strength.

Having in mind the above and other objects that will be evident from an understanding of the disclosure, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts as illustrated in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention which is hereinafter set forth in such detail as to enable those skilled in'the art readily to understand the function, operation, construction and advantages of it when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

3 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates an end elevational view of the sewing machine head with the hinged end cover removed showing the needle threading device of the present invention,

FIG. 2 illustrates an enlarged elevational view taken substantially on the line 22 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 illustrates a detailed perspective view, partly in section, of the needle threading device in its operative thread engaging position according to the present invention, and

FIG. 4 illustrates a detached perspective view of the thread engaging hook together with a portion of the swinging arm on which it is mounted.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more specifically to the drawings, wherein similar parts will be given the same reference numerals, there is disclosed a standard sewing machine, such as described in US. Pats. Nos. 3,055,326 and 3,115,110 assigned to assignee of the present application, having a head housing a conventional presser bar 11 which carries a presser foot 12. As shown in FIG. 1 there is prpvided a device generally designated 13 for threading a needle 14 having a needle eye 15 which is carried by a sewing machine needle bar 16. To accomplish this threading function the needle threading device 13 comprises an elongated metal arm 17 having an offset finger grip 18 for manipulating the device and formed at one end thereof with an elongated opening or slot 19 which accommodates a headed fastening screw 20 for mounting the arm 17 to the frame of the sewing machine head. The Screw 20 is threaded into a boss (not shown) formed on the lower portion of the head 10, as best illustrated in FIG. 1, and constrains a beehive spring 21 against the arm 17 (see FIG. 3) so that the arm is at all times biased inwardly. This mounting arrangement allows for sidewise and vertical swinging movement of the arm 17, as well as for limited vertical shift of the arm by virtue of the elongated shape of the mounting slot 19.

On a substantially central portion of the arm 17 indented relative to the mounting slot 19 there is provided proximate to and substantially opposite the finger grip 18, an elliptical shaped opening or locating slot 22. When the arm is placed in its retracted or stored position, as shown by the broken line configuration of the device in FIG. 1, the slot 22 registers with a raised seat 23 formed on an arm 24, which preferably is integral with the usual presser foot pressure regulating bracket 25. Thus, the needle threading device is held in a retracted position within the machine head when it is not needed to thread the needle. Such an arrangement eliminates the possibility of the device interfering with the normal sewing operation, such as by becoming entangled with the thread or obstructing the operators view of the material being worked on, etc. When swung down into its operative or needle threading position, as shown by the solid line needle threading device in FIGS. 1 and 3, the locating slot 22 of the arm 17 registers with a shouldered locating screw 26 which is fastened to hold a modified thread guide 27 on a needle clamp 28 mounted to the sewing machine needle bar 16. The screw 26 serves as a needle threadeye position reference element and functions accurately to locate a thread engaging element 29, to be discussed in detail hereinafter, of the needle threading device 13 with respect to the needle eye 15. Thus, when the arm 17 is swung down as shown in FIG. 1, with the needle in its uppermost position the arm vertically may be shifted so that the screw 26 registers with the slot 22.

As discussed above, the arm 17 of the needle threader 13 is biased inwardly when in its stored and operative positions by means of the spring 21. That is, when the needle threader is viewed in either of the positions shown in FIG. 1 the spring 21 exerts a bias which urges the arm 17 away from the viewer or inwardly away from the hinged end cover (not shown). This bias assists in retaining the needle threader in either of its desired positions. Thus, when the arm 17 is raised the seat 23 merely needs to be placed in register with the slot 22 and the spring then urges the arm 17 sidewise onto the raised seat 23. The spring bias maintains the arm 17 in register with the raised seat 23 until it is desired to placed the needle threader in its operative or lowered position. In order to place the needle threader in this latter position, the operator first moves the arm sidewise away from the arm 24 sufliciently to disengage it from the raised seat 23, and then swings the arm 17 downwardly to the right, as seen in FIG. 1, into its operative position. As the arm 17 approaches its lower position it is held sidewise to allow it to pass by the locating screw 26 to the point where the slot 22 is in register with the locating screw 26 as shown in FIG. 1. This positions the threading hook 30 of the thread engaging element 29 at substantially the same elevation as the needle eye 15. The element 29', as best shown in FIG. 4, is provided with a shoulder flange 31 to facilitate mounting of the element onto a vertical portion 32 of the threading device 13. As illustrated, the portion 32 is formed with a threaded aperture 33 for receiving a seat screw 34 which secures the element 29 to the needle threading device.

With the hook 30 rearwardly aligned with the needle eye 15, as best shown in FIG. 1, there are provided a pair of spaced offset projecting needle embracing fingers 35, 37 located above and below the hook 30. These fingers as seen in FIG. 4 are rigid and integral with the arm 17 and the upper finger 35 which is longer relative to the lower finger 37 is of such a length as to extend adjacent the needle 14 with the hook 30 positioned as discussed above. The bias of the spring 21 acts to urge the inner surface 36 of the finger 35 into contacting relation with the needle, as shown in FIG. 2. The olfset relationship of the finger 37 relative to the finger 35, which is clearly shown in FIG. 2, allows the fingers to engage opposite sides of the needle. The above arrangement assists in guiding the thread engaging hook 30 accurately through the needle eye 15. Thus, as the arm 17 is moved to the right as seen in FIG. 1 the inner surface 36 acts as a guide surface to direct the hook 30 through the needle eye. When the arm is moved sufiiciently toward the needle eye, the inner surface 38 of the finger 37 together with the surface 36 of the finger 35 engages the needle in straddling relationship (see FIG. 3) to provide guiding means for assisting the operator in placing the thread engaging book 30 in the threading position shown in FIG. 3. It is seen that the above construction substantially eliminates any effort or skill on the part of the operator in aligning the hook with the needle eye and passing it therethrough.

The reciprocating needle bar 16 as it comes to rest at the upper end of its stroke may be located at any one of a number of vertical positions. In order to eliminate the necessity of having to accurately locate the needle bar in only one position at the upper end of its stroke, the slot 19 aifords means whereby the needle threading device can be moved up and down to accommodate slight variations in the stopping position of the needle bar. Thus, the needle threading apparatus of this invention provides relatively simple but efficient mechanism for threading a needle while requiring a minimum amount of effort by the operator.

Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of my invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not part from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope thereof.

Having thus set forth the nature of this invention, what I claim herein is:

1. The combination comprising a sewing machine having a frame including a head, a reciprocatory needle bar journaled in said head and carrying at its lower end a needle provided with a thread-carrying eye, and a needle threading device, said needle threading device including a unitary main supporting arm having at one end thereof a slot, mounting means fastening said needle threading device to said head, said mounting means extending through said slot and providing for swinging movement of said needle threading device from an elevated retracted position to a lowered needle threading position, a thread engaging member secured to said unitary main supporting arm and disposed to enter the thread-carrying eye in said needle when said needle threading device is in its lowered position, needle engaging means integrally formed with said arm and comprising solely a pair of vertically spaced needle engaging members located above and below said thread engaging member and being offset laterally relative to each other for engagement with opposite sides of the needle, each of said members having an inner guide surface wherein the lateral spacing be tween said guide surfaces is slightly greater than the corresponding dimension of said needle, whereby said members are operable accurately to position sidewise of said needle said thread engaging member with the eye of said needle to locate said thread engaging member for being accurately guided freely through said needle eye.

2. In the combination defined in claim 1 further comprising bias means operatively coacting with said mount- 3. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said one of said needle engaging members is substantially longer than the other of said needle engaging members to facilitate positioning of said thread engaging member sidewise of said needle upon initially locating said device in its lowered position.

4. A device for threading a sewing machine needle, comprising a unitary elongated metal arm, said arm being formed at one end thereof with a slot for use in mounting said device, a thread engaging member secured to said arm at the opposite end thereof, needle engaging means integrally formed with said arm and consisting of a pair of substantially rigid fingers extending substantially perpendicular to the main axis of said arm and being vertically spaced such that one of said fingers is located above the other below said thread engaging member, said fingers being offset laterally relative to each other with the thread engaging member being disposed therebetween.

5. In the combination defined in claim 1 wherein each of said needle engaging members is substantially rigid in construction, whereby said thread engaging member accurately and without damage thereto is guided freely through said needle eye.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,308,778 3/1967 Nakajima 112--225 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,187 4/ 1932 Australia.

' 720,582 7/ 1931 France.

631,952 6/1936 Germany.

265,487 3/1950 Switzerland.

RICHARD J. SCANLAN, In, Primary Examiner 

